Accommodation and Food

What about hotel check-in and check-out times?

The usual check-in time for the majority of hotels is 2pm with a check-out time of 11am. If you’d like an early check-in or late check-out, just let the local tour operator know and they’ll do their best to arrange it.

What about the hostels, B&Bs and hotels?

The local tour operators try to work with small, family-run, eco-friendly hostels, B&Bs and boutique hotels wherever possible. Depending on the level of comfort you choose, they will book a hostel (private rooms), B&B or a hotel (2 to 5 stars) for your stay. You will see the hotel selection before booking.

What is the accommodation like within the local communities?

You will have your own room, privacy and all basic facilities. Depending on the community, you may be required to share a bathroom. All communities fulfil the minimum comfort and safety requirements, such as hot water and access to a telephone. However, access to the internet and mobile reception can be limited.

What will we eat?

When you live within the local communities, you will eat their traditional, local foods. Breakfast is always included, be it in a hostel or hotel, or within the local communities. If you are vegetarian or have any special dietary requirements, just let the local tour operator know, so they are able to prepare special meals for you wherever possible. However, please be aware that this may be limited in some cases.

General

Do the local tour operators speak English?

Yes, all the local tour operators on this platform speak English, and all the activities will be guided in English as well, unless you request them in another language (subject to availability of guides).

How successful have previous tours been?

If you would like to know what past travellers thought about the tours, please visit our testimonials page. You can also read the Happy Travellers category of our blog.

What about travelling with children?

The majority of tours are suitable for children - please refer to each individual tour and look for the family-friendly tag. When sending a travel enquiry, make sure you thick family-friendly box. As these are bespoke tours, they can be created so everything is family friendly.

What are the three levels of comfort?

Adventure: Includes accommodation in hostels (always in a private room) and B&Bs, and sometimes in hammocks, rustic cabins or tents. Internal transport is overland rather than by plane wherever possible.

Medium: Includes accommodation in B&Bs or 2-star family-run hotels (always in a private room).

Relaxed: Includes accommodation in 3 to 4 star hotels. For longer journeys internal transport is by plane rather than overland wherever possible.

All levels of comfort include a contribution to the visited social and environmental projects.

What if we have a complaint?

If you have a complaint whilst on holiday, please bring it to the attention of the local partner immediately and they will do their best to rectify it. After the tour, you can send us a complain and we will carry on an investigation.

Hot destinations: Comfortable light cotton shirts with long and short sleeves, comfortable trousers made of cotton or a light synthetic material (bring at least two sets of light clothes which can be washed and dried easily), shorts, rain coat, plastic zip-lock bags, plastic bags for your luggage in case of rain.

Who will we travel with?

All the tours are private and you won’t travel within a group of people you do not know. On some excursions you will join small groups of other travellers for the duration of the excursion only. You will also travel with an English-speaking guide during certain sections of some tours. Please check the individual tour descriptions for full details.

All the local tour operators can create tailor-made tours for groups, in particular when there is a special purpose (research, bird-watching, jungle expeditions, etc).

Health and Safety

Do I need any vaccines?

For each tour, you can see the vaccines you need (if any) before you travel. Additional information can be found on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) travel advice website (specific links provided in each tour page) and within the Details tab of each tour. Additionally, the local tour operators will inform you of any vaccines requirements / recommendations.

What about our personal belongings?

During your Latin America tour, valuables should be kept to a minimum and be packed in your hand luggage. Unfortunately, theft is a fact all over the world, so please be sure to obtain full travel insurance and if anything is lost or stolen during your trip obtain written confirmation from a local representative or the police in order to help with your insurance claim upon your return home.

What if I have pre-existing medical conditions?

If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, please make sure you let the local tour operator know when booking or making an enquiry. They will work with to create a tour that suits your requirements.

What to do in case of emergency?

Before travelling, you will receive a local phone number that you can call at any time to get assistance in English. Additionally, each local community has a telephone to make a call in the event of an emergency. The local teams will be looking after you throughout the whole journey.

Will everything be clean and safe?

Yes, our local partners check that every provider (guides, transport, hostel, hotel, etc.) and every local community we work with fulfil standards of safety and hygiene. However, please bear in mind that you are travelling in Latin America and facilities and general conditions will naturally differ to those found in Europe and the USA.

How to Book

How to check availability for the date we want to travel?

When you send a travel enquiry, a trusted local partner will get back to you. They will create an itinerary proposal and when you book, confirm the availability for all the hotels and activities. In case of availability issues, they will suggest alternatives.

How to send an enquiry?

If you know where you want to go, visit the relevant destination page and simply fill the enquiry form. If you are interested in one of the tours, you will find the enquiry form when clicking on the 'Enquire Now' tab, visible on each individual tour. After filling and sending the form, one of our local trusted partners will get in touch with you, and start creating your ideal travel itinerary.

If you don't know where to go, you can send us a general enquiry, by using the form on the 'Enquire Now' page (the link is on the top right of the website). We will then get back to you with advice and recommendations.

What happens after we book or enquire?

After sending the enquiry, a trusted local partner, based on the destination you want to visit, will get back to you. They will create a personalised itinerary proposal with quote for you.

After you book, they will confirm all the services for you (accommodation, activities, transfers, etc.).

Before travelling, they will send you a detailed travel itinerary with all the information you'll need, and be available for any pre-departure questions or queries you may have.

During the tour, they will be available 24/7 to assist you (in English) with everything you need.

What information is needed to book?

Normally, the local tour operator will need full names, date of birth, citizenship and passport numbers of all travellers. If any travellers have special dietary requirements or any pre-medical conditions, these must be stated at the moment of the booking.

Insurance, Visas and Other Formalities

Do I need a tourist visa?

Please refer to individual tour details for information about visas and other requirements. You can visit the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) or US Travel Advice websites for travel advice (specific links provided in the Details tab of each tour). Additionally, the local tour operators will provide you with this information.

Do I need personal travel insurance?

Although it's not required, we recommend to purchase travel insurance. Travel insurance should provide coverage against personal accident, death, medical expenses and emergency repatriation with a recommended minimum coverage of US$200,000 for each of the heads of cover. We recommend that travel insurance also covers cancellation, curtailment, personal liability and loss of luggage and personal effects.

What about changing money?

As these are bespoke tours to Latin America, there are different recommendations for each destination. The local tour operator(s) you book with will provide you with full information on how to organise your money before you travel.

Payment, Refund and Cancellation Policies

Can we change the name of one or several passengers?

If the local tour operator has not booked any flights for you, you may be able to change a passenger name 90 days prior to departure, by paying an administrative fee. No name changes are permitted after this time. For flight tickets, name changes are not allowed.

Do we need to pay in full at time of booking?

No, you can make a first payment to secure the booking, normally between of 15% and 40% of the total price. The balance is usually paid 30 days before departure. Please refer to the payment policies of the local tour operator you are booking with.

Do you accept payments in several currencies?

Normally payment are made in US Dollars (USD). However, some of the local tour operators can accept other currencies, like Euro (EUR) or Pounds (GBP).

Is our money safe?

Yes. Unlike other tourism platforms, we have only one tour operator per destination, and are constantly monitoring their work. Everything from the sales process to the customer service, including operations, financial stability, certifications, etc. We know them and have been working with them for years. Additionally, we send all travellers a post trip questionnaire, so they can give us feedback on all the aspects of their holiday. You can book with confidence.

What if we have to cancel our tour?

Each local operator has its own cancellation policy. It will be provided to you before booking. Please refer to it.

Which methods of payment/refund are available?

Each local tour operator has its own payment facilities and refund policies. These will be presented to you when you enquire.

Transport

Does the price include international flights?

No, international flights are not included in the price of the tours listed on these platform. The local tour operators can assist you to find the best itineraries and price for your dates.

What about domestic flights?

Some tours include domestic flights. These will normally be booked by the local tour operator, on your behalf, as soon as your payment and passenger details are received. The e-tickets for these flights will be included in your travel itinerary. If you prefer to book the domestic flights directly, there is no problem at all.

What happens if our flight is delayed or cancelled?

The local tour operator will be monitoring all of your flights, so in the event of a delayed or cancelled flight they will endeavour to make all the necessary arrangements to ensure that your holiday goes ahead as planned.

What other types of transport are included in the tour?

This information is available in each tour description. When you enquire, you will receive details about all methods of transport that are to be used as part of your tour. All tickets or booking references will be attached to your travel itinerary.

We are a sustainable tourism platform where you can find local, ethical tour operators you can trust. All the tour operators and travel agents on this platform follow our responsible tourism policy and the principles of fair trade.